Timbers announce Academy coaching staff

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced the coaching staff for the club’s new Timbers Academy U-16 and U-18 teams, set to begin play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy this fall. Timbers Academy directors Mike Smith and Adam Smith will serve as the head coaches of the U-16 and U-18 sides, respectively.

Additionally, the Timbers have appointed John Bain, a standout for the NASL Timbers, and Rod Underwood, a former assistant coach for the second-division Timbers, as assistant coaches for academy teams. Both Mike Smith and Adam Smith will also serve as assistant coaches. Former second-division Timbers goalkeeper Steve Reese will serve as the goalkeeper coach for both age groups.

Portland Timbers Academy coaching staffs:

Timbers U-16 Academy Staff

Timbers U-18 Academy Staff

Head coach: Mike Smith

Head coach: Adam Smith

Assistant coaches: Adam Smith, Rod Underwood

Assistant coaches: Mike Smith, John Bain

Goalkeeper coach: Steve Reese

Goalkeeper Coach: Steve Reese

Under the newly appointed coaching staffs, the Timbers U-16 and U-18 Academy teams begin play during the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season, starting in September. The aim of the Timbers Academy is to develop elite youth soccer players throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington through advanced training and competitive opportunities, creating a pathway from the youth levels to the pros with the Timbers’ first team.

Adam Smith, one of the club’s two academy directors and the Timbers youth goalkeeping director, has 20 years of coaching experience. His coaching background includes time at the youth, college and professional levels, including time as the director of youth development and assistant coach for the Wilmington Hammerheads. He also served as the goalkeeper coach for the Portland Timbers first team from 2010-11 before moving into his role on the academy staff. Among his coaching credentials, Smith holds USSF National ‘A’ and Goalkeeping licenses and is working towards a UEFA ‘A’ license.

Mike Smith, who also serves one of the club’s academy directors, has been on U.S. Soccer’s national instructional staff since 1999 and holds USSF National ‘A’ and FIFA Futuro licenses among his coaching credentials. His coaching background includes time as head coach of the Olympic Development Program’s Region IV team, working with the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team and serving as an associate head coach for the women’s programs at the University of Oregon and Santa Clara University.

Bain, a standout player for the Timbers from 1978-82 in the North American Soccer League, is a long-time coach in the Portland area. He served as a player/coach for the Western Soccer League Portland Timbers from 1989-90 and was the head coach of the indoor Portland Pride from 1993-96. At the youth level, Bain, a Timbers Alumni Ambassador, has coached a variety of age groups at adidas Timbers Alliance club Westside Timbers and led Mountain View High School to back-to-back Washington state championships in 1991-92.

Underwood, who had a seven-year professional career on both the outdoor and indoor circuits, has more than 15 years of coaching experience at the youth, collegiate and professional levels. Underwood served as an assistant coach for the second-division Portland Timbers from 2007-08, the head coach for the Cleveland City Stars in 2009 and coached abroad for the Northeast Stars of the Trinidad & Tobago first division in 2010. Underwood, who holds coaching credentials from USSF, the Netherlands and Wales, also serves as an assistant coach for the Timbers U-23s.

Reese, who played two seasons for the second-division Timbers from 2007-08 during his professional career, has coaching experience at the youth and collegiate levels. A native Oregonian, Reese has coached the goalkeepers at Portland’s Concordia University since 2008. He has served as a goalkeeper coach, assistant coach and head coach for Oregon’s Olympic Development Program over the past seven years and has spent time on the boys and girls ODP Region IV coaching staff.